Happy 40th birthday, 25 O’Clock !
Released on this day in 1985, this mysterious record from a then unknown band “from the 60s” definitely represented a milestone in the history of pop music - and XTC.
The pastiche album to ever pastiche, born thanks to a failed collaboration between Andy Partridge and Margaret O’Hara, came out during a stressing and unpleasant moment for the band. Their latest record (The Big Express) wasn’t doing well in terms of sales and Virgin were getting more and more frustrated with XTC, a band that didn’t tour and didn’t produce singles that placed well in the charts. The band had also recently dropped their “liarbird” once and for all, finding themselves soon in a draining swirl of legal complications, attorneys and unsustainable debt.
With some time on his hands, Andy Partridge seized the failed collaboration as the long waited opportunity for his “fake psychedelic band” dream, an idea that had been rotating in his head since the early days of XTC. John Leckie came back to produce the band and Dave Gregory’s brother Ian Gregory covered once again the role of the missing drummer, this time getting a whole sharp identity of his own. Nestled in the charm of Chapel Lane Studios, the band wore 60s clothes (or inspired 60s clothes), used old gear and never did more than three takes for a track.
The result of what the band itself recalls as the most joyous and fun recording session was this first brilliant EP by the name of “25 O’Clock”. The album/EP is a marvellous forgery - a spectacular mix of every psychedelic (and sometimes just pop) band of the 60s; a proper “thank you” from Dave Gregory and Andy Partridge to the musical heroes of their childhood and teenage days. To reinforce the forgery element (and for separation reasons) the band issued the record under the name of The Dukes of Stratosphear, each one of them taking an alter ego to hide themselves: AP became Sir John Johns, CM was The Red Curtain, DG was Lord Cornelius Plum and his brother took the name of E.I.E.I. Owen. The EP would then get unexpected success, lifting up the band’ spirits for a bit. Two years later a full album would follow.
After this date nothing was ever the same: the 60s influences were now freed from their cage and XTC’ songwriting will take nothing but important lessons from The Dukes, lending their instruments and experiences for the upcoming albums, Skylarking being the first and probably most brilliant example.
To me, this record and the entire catalogue of the Dukes was a broader introduction to the world of 60s music and psychedelic music, as it was a missing element in my musical upbringing. I discovered the earlier side of the moon of Pink Floyd (which only made me fall in love with the band more), I got even deeper into the discography of The Beatles, I ended up buying an entire album by The Kinks, I found myself enamoured with the same music that charmed a young Andy Partridge. I owe to this record a lot as my most favourite works of XTC are a testament of the acknowledgment of their 60s influences.
